Improvement in reed-organs



J. MEISSNER. Reed-Organ.

No. 200,146. Patented Feb. 12,1878.'

sT/Fi IQK I 5 J15 @W Q UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JULIUS MEISSNER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN REED-ORGANS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200,146, dated February 12, 1878 application filed October 20, 1877.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J ULIUs MEIssNER, of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have made certain Improvements in Reed-0rgans, of which the following is a specification v This invention consists in improvements in upright actions, where sets or series of reeds and tube-boards, &c., are placed one above the other; and it consists in the arrangement of valves under each reed, and the manner of operating them by a single valve-strip, as hereinafter explained.

In the drawing, the figure represents a vertical section, sh owing the arrangement of the various parts.

A A represent the keys and key-board respectively; a, the push-pin which operates the lever b, pivoted at 0, so that when the key is depressed it raises one end of the lever and depresses the other end, carrying down with it a long vertical valve-strip, B, to be more particularly described hereinafter.

G is a vertical wind-chest at the back of the action; d d d, the tube-boards; c c c, the reeds, and D D D horizontal valve-spaces, or supplementary wind-chests, running at right angles to the upright wind-chest O, and all opening therein. The sets of tubes, reeds, and supplementary wind-chests are all attached-in front of the vertical wind-chest O, and are set one under the other, over and above the key-board A, and standing forward instead of lying flat down back of or under the key-board, as is usual.

By this arrangement a much better, fuller, and clearer tone is obtained, besides simplifyin g the action and allowing it to be easily got at to clean, tune, repair, Sec.

Under each and every reed-openin g fis set a spring-valve, g-one to every reed. This valve protrudes slightly into the wind-chest G, and the end sits in a notch, h, formed in the vertical valve-strip B, before referred to.

Asthe key-lever b is pressed it carries down with it the valve-strip B, and consequently the valve 9, which then admits the air to the reed. This valve-strip extends up and operates on as many valves, 9 g g, as there are sets of reeds above, those immediately above each other being, of course, the same note as below, only varying in pitch, higher, or lower, as the case may be, running from one to as many octaves as there are sets of reeds, the drawing showing three sets, representing three different notes, or two octaves, and either or all operated by the single vertical valve-strip B, according as the wind is admitted to one or more series.

This arrangement of a valve to each note, and the separate wind-chests D D D, secures the speaking of every note, which is not the case usually when several are coupled together, as the vibrations of one are apt to interfere with or prevent those of another of the same letter.

The arrangement, also, of the reeds and valves is such that dust cannot get at them, there being no top openings for dirt to get into. This is of great importance in keeping an organ in order. The organ is also of a very simple construction, cheaper to build, and

keeps cleaner longer, and therefore in better tune than is usual.

I claim- In an upright action for organs, the arrangement of the valves 9 9 inside the wind-chests D D, one inider every reed, each valve end protruding, and all operated simultaneously by the single vertical valve-strip B, as and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JULIUS MEISSNER.

Witnesses:

J. R. DRAKE, THOMAS H. PARSONS. 

